We Be Dragons (PFRPG) PDF

I could run this game over and over again.

This adventure clocks in at 24 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, leaving us with 21 pages of content, so let’s take a look!

If the appropriation of Paizo’s slogan for Goblin-PC adventures was no clear indicator – this module is set apart by one very crucial factor: The PCs are all dragons! While it is possible to use appropriate regular dragons, the module’s base premise works imho best if you use the plentiful pregens included. 9 of these are provided, all clocking in at CR 4 and representing, as a whole, a pretty diverse spectrum. The dragons range from arcane dragon to blood dragon, caustic dragon, corruptor dragon, harmonic dragon, radiant dragon – basically, these dragons get supplemental abilities that help them fill in adventuring roles: The blood dragon, for example, gets a rage, while the radiant dragon’s breath weapon heals the living and damages undead – you get the idea.

Beyond that, the pdf provides something I very much applaud – namely a cheat-sheet for Flight: Common uses and DC, etc. – it’s handy to have and makes for a nice hand-out when playing this module with players who are not as experienced with the intricacies of flight. The module does offer minor scaling variations, which can prove to be helpful.

Now, the aforementioned dragons are undoubtedly dragons you never heard of before – there’s a reason for that – they may be the last of their kind…but to go into more details, I have to start going into SPOILERS. Potential players should jump to the conclusion.

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All right, only GMs around? Great! Balthazar Barrick was but a child when dragons annihilated all he had ever known. He founded the order of the wyrm and eradicated no less than 9 draconic bloodlines. Alas, his squire Elbin disagreed with his master’s trauma-fueled fanaticism. He saved a single egg from each bloodline, spirited them away and raised them for 15 years, far away from civilization, in a cabin affectionately called Scalehearth.

Alas, recent expansions of trading routes have brought civilization perilously close…and Balthazar is still looking for his former squire, seeking to fulfill his extermination of the dragon PC’s bloodlines. Elbin, in the meanwhile, plans to move deeper into the wilderness…but as the dragons arrive from a hunting trip back at the cabin, they find it burning, Elbin wounded with a nasty gut wound and a nasty and utterly obvious poison – thus, we begin with a tripartite skill-challenge type of encounter that is surprisingly fun to run – three tasks, all time-sensitive – cool way to kick this off!

We get different read-aloud texts and slightly different information, depending on whether Elbin lives, obviously – turns out that a scout of the Torn Company, a poacher group, have been hired to track Elbin and his draconic brood – the trail leads towards the wayside inn that was rather recently constructed – the Toasted Toad, where some interrogation by overt or covert means (bloodshed and violence optional) predates the arrival of the Torn Company…whether the dragons engage or flee is up to them.

The trail, ultimately, leads the PCs to the ruined remnants of Craggock Fortress, where the fallen paladin Balthazar beseeches the gods to reinstate his paladin-hood…but to no avail. Still, with the remnants of the Torn Company and a fallen level 12 paladin, the final fight will not be a cakewalk – not even for dragons…

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are very good, I noticed no serious hiccups. Layout adheres to a printer-friendly two-column b/w-standard with red headers. Interior artwork is solid b/w-stock. The pdf has no bookmarks, which represents a minor comfort detriment. Cartography is in full-color, but extremely rudimentary – it’s just a collection of color-coded squares. Even a pencil-drawing would probably have been nicer.

Jeff Gomez’ “We be dragons” is a fun one-shot – particularly suitable for convention-style gameplay or as a change of pace, it represents a fun diversion from the standard adventuring tropes and trying to reinvigorate one’s bloodline can make for a great, epic campaign goal that is pretty inspiring. The challenges are diverse enough and, in fact, very much fun. That being said, the lack of bookmarks and the pretty bad map represent some minor blemishes for the module. It should be noted, though, that at the extremely fair and low price-point, this is definitely worth checking out. My final verdict will clock in at 4 stars.

Endzeitgeist out.

Disclaimer: I received this as bonus content, for free, as part of taig's partymas giveaway (thank you again, Zenith Games, for participating).

Despite the need for some

My group completed the game in about 2 hours with 3 players, including about 20 minutes of them reviewing the different character choices, and discussing which they wanted to play; in all the module was well-written and fun, but personally I would have enjoyed a longer scenario with some introductory activities to get the players into the mindset of their various dragons.

Otherwise the important NPCs are all well developed, every reasonable scenario is accounted for, the plot is engaging and leads the PCs through a short and straightforward quest for vengeance which leads to a satisfying conclusion.

The black and white art throughout the book is quite good, although the quality of the dragon silhouettes vary greatly. The one map is extremely basic, which is offset by the excellent quality of the writing; the module can easily be run with theater of the mind, and maps do not contribute much to the scenario.

Overall I give the product 4 stars, and eagerly await the sequel.

Running this one-shot was an absolute treat for players and GM alike. The pre-built wyrmlings are all made to fit a certain class archetype, like a healer or rogue, with familiar abilities, making them easy to pick up and play; the addition of iconic dragon abilities to each character, like flight and breath weapons, adds a level of depth and variety that is fun for new players and refreshing for experienced ones.

The adventure is very concise, but with room to take as much time as you like approaching each of the encounters however you want. There is room for players to excel in tests of skill, combat, or socialization. The hook is very simple to its benefit, with a compelling villain.

The ending leaves hooks for further GM invention, and hopefully sequels, with bigger dragons!

If you're looking for a unique and fun one-shot adventure, don't miss this.

Zenith Games delivers again with We Be Dragons! I'd give it two thumbs up (or 5/5!) The adventure has a nice hook and it is clean, concise, and fun - everything I want in a one-shot adventure.

The author gives a bit of background information and adventure summary at the start - along with a note on how to lower or increase difficulty of the adventure based on the number of your players. The first part of the adventure has several interesting 'thought challenges / social encounters' then kicks it into a gear with a few encounters - the last of which I feel provides a good emotional punch and capstone to the whole thing.

The coolest part to me is the Dragon(s) write-up. While there are no "class levels" like some people may expect, we are instead presented with 9 unique dragons each with their own personality and tidbits written up to help you get into their scaly skin. The dragons are all one family, so you can see the dynamic between them in their background write-ups. Each dragon often has a 'class' mirror (like Barbarian or Bard), but possess all the unique and common traits of a dragon. The 'dragon' aspect of the PCs come first and foremost in their write-ups.

The adventure ends on a satisfying note - though it tantalizes us with the possibility of a sequel in the future. I highly recommend We Be Dragons for a fun and unforgettable night of gaming. Players enjoyed it thoroughly and I look forward to more content from Zenith Games down the road.